War and Roses
by Follow-ur-Shadow
Summary: On the eclipse of war, Donna is struggling to keep it together, Harvey is stumbling through his feelings and Louis is just plain pissed off.


**War and Roses**

**Category****: **Hurt/comfort, Darvey, Louis/Darvey friendship

**Summary:** On the eclipse of war, Donna is struggling to keep it together, Harvey is stumbling through his feelings and Louis is just plain pissed off.

**An:** I'm not sure about this one, I think I'm just trying to keep myself sane with all the waiting haha. Semi inspired by the picture of Donna and Louis on the roof and driven by the prompt, 'Donna swears revenge on everyone in the conference room'.

* * *

Donna swears revenge on every goddamn person in the conference room as she exits, her feet leading quickly away from the scraping chairs and raised voices. As if Faye Richardson wasn't bad enough, Louis slashing the budget is cutting the legs out from under her and Samantha, still sore about losing Robert, is undermining every damn alternative she tries to make. The in-fighting is going to tear them apart long before the board's bureaucracy does and the realization drives her passed the glass walls surrounding her office.

She needs somewhere away from prying eyes- a place to calm down, and heads to the access door leaving her coat and stalking up to the roof. The cold air bites her skin as she steps out, the ominous sky looking like it could break any second and she hugs herself, closing her eyes against the wind.

She's losing it.

Everything she worked so hard to achieve is spinning out of her grasp faster than she can fight to hold it. That's never happened before and she's terrified, afraid she can't fix her mistakes this time. It isn't like destroying fake evidence or talking her way into Liberty Rail. This is every waiting minute compounded by guilt because she made a decision that hurt people, her friends, and when the door swings open she inwardly flinches. There's no announcement, just the quiet crunch of shoes across gravel, and she angles toward the sound of Harvey's hesitant approach.

She isn't surprised it's him. No one else would have dared follow after the shit-show that just went down and she chews on her lip, not sure if she's angry he didn't defend her or relieved he kept from taking sides. The last thing they need is to out their relationship but when he stops, revealing and opening up her coat, the irritation she's feeling deflates knotting in her chest. He's been nothing but patient, his own guilt no doubt largely at play, and she slides into the sleeves hugging the warmth to her chest as he lets go.

He moves to stand beside her, focusing on the cityscape in the hope it will discourage the urge to reach for her. They both agreed nothing physical at work and his hands find the safe lining of his pockets, relying on words to comfort her instead. "You okay?"

She ducks her head with a small shake, blinking back the wind stinging her eyes. She isn't and hasn't been... but thought she could handle drawing a line; being one person here and another at home but she's failing at that too and doesn't know what to say, her lip quivering with the weight of her frustration.

The silence draws his gaze and his resolve slips with heavy concern. He can count how often he's seen her cry and though the times have been few and far between, they're still more than he can stand. She should never be made to feel the way she is, and if he can't be here for her now then what are they even doing.

The touch of his hand surprises her but instead of shrugging him off she clasps his fingers, a broken apology spilling from her lips into the wind. "I'm _so_ sorry Harvey."

The waver in her voice causes him to react without thinking and honestly he doesn't give a shit about the consequences as his arms sink around her. They've _all_ done questionable things, himself included, but she isn't responsible for years worth of other people's mistakes and he'll be damned if he's going to let Faye Richardson bully her into believing she's accountable. "What's happening is _not_ your fault, you hear me?"

She tenses and his hand moves up and down her back, coaxing her into relaxing. She's freezing, even with the added layer of warmth, and he creates a small amount of space between them lifting his had to brush her cheek. "It's hard, I know... but we'll get through this."

The optimism is a strange role reversal but it eases the tightness locking her joints. She trusts him, more than anyone else, and a shaky breath rushes from her mouth as his thumb sweeps the moisture under her eyes. "You know, you're not terrible at this."

He chuckles softly, relieved by the gentle nudge of humor but truthfully he _is _bad at this sort of thing. If she hadn't lost it at Louis he never would have realized just how hard she's been taking everything and his hand strays to the front of her coat absently toying with the buttons. He's worried and they need to have a real discussion about what's been going on inside her head but right now his main focus is putting a smile back on her face, taking her outside of the pressure that's been mounting up. "I can think of something else I'm not terrible at."

There's a suggestive pull to his smirk, one that wraps around all the overwhelming doubts that are circling but as much as she'd like to sink into the escape, they shouldn't. Not here and especially not after what just happened. "We can't, you know that."

It's hardly a convincing protest and he tugs her gently, fluttering his lips against the crook of her neck. "You're cold..." he murmurs, not sure if her shiver is from the observation or his light trail along her skin, "anyone asks... I'm warming you up."

She squeezes his biceps swallowing the hesitation nestled in her throat. She doesn't know how he always manages to sweep her up in his charisma but his cheekiness taps into a place where she feels safe, and she presses her palms against his chest with a soft hum of amusement. "Seriously, we _should_-"

"What in the goddamn hell!?"

_Shit_.

Harvey inwardly curses as Louis' voice cuts through the wind and he immediately lets go of Donna, turning towards the angry rant spewing across the gravel.

"After _everything _you two have put the firm through and now _this-"_

_"_Louis." Harvey cuts him off with a warning, taking a protective step in front of Donna. He knows the man would never lash out physically but he squares his shoulders as if it will somehow shield her from hearing the irate words flying out of the managing partner's mouth.

"I've been _busting _my ass trying to defend you, and you couldn't keep it in your pants for two bullshitting minutes!?"

"That's enough." Harvey's voice takes a harder edge, his legs kicking forward to intercept the approach and anything else that might spitball off the back of Louis' reaction. The man's pissed, he gets it, but he's not going to let anybody walk all over his and Donna's integrity.

Louis stops abreast with him, anger swimming in his veins as he holds Harvey's glare- like somehow this is all his fault. He's been stretching himself above and beyond trying to keep things from turning to shit and they're out here pouring gasoline on the fire; well, screw that. "You'd better tell me right now that you're goddamn in love with her because if you can't and this a god-shitting mistake that's going to bury us, I need to know _right_-"

"It's not a mistake." Harvey snaps through the rage without any hesitation. He probably doesn't have a claim to justify everything that's happened since he told her about Thomas' deal but he doesn't regret it. He'd do it a thousand times over because if there's one thing he believes in, it's the woman standing behind him, and he absorbs the weight of seriousness with complete conviction. "You really think I'd risk all this if she didn't mean everything to me?"

Louis opens his mouth with a stutter, his gaze darting to Donna who looks equally perplexed by the confession. The great Harvey Specter isn't known for his emotional breakthroughs but there's no doubt clouding his expression and a belligerent laugh forms in Louis' throat. The king of womanizing is in goddamn love- and the timing couldn't be fucking worse.

Harvey isn't sure how to take to the leap from irate to almost manic and he's even more out of his depth when Louis launches two strong arms around him.

At a loss for what to do he entertains the gesture with a light pat against the managing partner's back, still in state of confusion when Louis moves around him to give Donna the same treatment. He assumes it means they're okay but lets her test the theory first, hedging his bets and keeping his distance.

Louis releases her but despite every effort he's drawn to redness behind her gaze and he forgets about his momentary lapse, remembering why he sought her out in the first place. They've all had to make hard decisions recently but above all else her friendship is more important and he circles back round, not mad but still hurt that she chose to keep this from him. "You could have told me."

"I'm sorry Louis." The apology is genuine and for more than just evading the truth. She knows he's just trying to do his job amidst the swirling chaos and she swipes her eyes not breaking but bending to the pressure they've all been under. "You understand why we couldn't."

He does, for once allowing himself to see things from her perspective because honestly... Sheila has changed him. They're about to start a family together and if the firm going through some shit is the trade off for his two friends finding the same happiness, he can't begrudge them that. "I won't say anything, you have my word."

Relief swims through her but it's Harvey who answers for the both of them.

"Thank you Louis."

Harvey gives him a grateful nod, his eyes shifting to Donna and her soft features ease the tension strung between his shoulders. He hadn't envisioned spilling his feelings for the first time in front of Louis but there's nothing in her expression that suggests she isn't on the same page. If anything it's the opposite and he angles his head with a gentle smile back. "We should head in, before Faye sets her dogs on us."

"Her bitches... yeah, you two are in charge of fending them off." It's a light heated comment that's received with the same intention it was dealt and all in all, Louis is surprisingly high in spirits. There was a time he would have gone above and beyond to kiss Faye Richardson's ass but not anymore. His loyalty is bound to the people he cares about, which is how he knows they're going to win.

And that they'll stand fighting together no matter what the cost.


End file.
